R33 (New York City Subway Car)
The R33 ML (Mainline) was a New York City Subway car built by St. Louis Car Company in 1962–63. They were a "follow-up" or supplemental stock for the “A” Division’s R29s and closely resemble them. Five hundred cars were built, serving on all IRT subway lines. They were the first "A" division cars to be retrofitted with air conditioning beginning in 1972, and by 1982 all cars in this series have received air conditioning as part of a retrofitting program, and were also rebuilt between 1986–1991. After rebuilding, they served on the 2, 4, and 5 routes and occasionally on the 7 before making their last trip on the 4 on April 14, 2003.
In 1996, New York City Transit announced that it would begin phasing out the Redbird cars, the R26 / 28 / 29 / 33 and 36. With the arrival of the R142 and R142A cars from 2001 to 2003, Redbird cars were scrapped, sold, put into work service, or stored out of service.
Eight cars (9010-9011, 9016-9017, 9068-9069 and 9206-9207) have been repainted into various vintage paint schemes, and have seen various uses since retirement. Car #9075 is on display at Queens Borough Hall and is retrofitted with swinging doors.
Most of these cars were retired by the NYCTA between 2001 and 2003. Some cars converted to work service from 1999-2004.
Read more about R33 (New York City Subway Car): Route Assignment History
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